Yellow Colored Lies
by TheUnluckyKat
Summary: Red looked from Leo's hopeful face to her mother's and back again. She sighed, looking away from them, "Fine, but I'm keeping the shorts." Pushed to go out and experience the world, Red Drayden sets out to climb the ladder that is the Pokemon League, but will she succeed or will she be just another faceless trainer buried underneath death and betrayal? Game: (Not Completed)
1. Prologue

_Two trainers, equal in might, came together and started to fight. _

_Houses burned, people died, no one could stop them even if they tried._

_Good and bad, light and dark, just like life, they continued their strife._

_Until one stood in their way, strong enough to stop them in their heyday._

_He stood tall, his Pokémon strong, a beacon of light in the dark of wrong._

"_Fight no more, feel the wrath that's in store. Your evil ways cannot be saved. Now what you gain is only pain!"_

_The world rejoiced, when this man voiced, "People of Kanto, have no fear, your new champion is here!"_

_But from good to good and bad to bad, power can make a man go mad. The savior becomes the enmity and the world his enemy. _

_This is where our story begins…_


	2. Chapter 1: It Doesn't Matter Now

**Chapter One: It doesn't matter now**

* * *

Professor Samuel Oak sat at his desk, scribbling on a piece of paper. Around him in his rather small study were journals, all open to different pages and displaying badly drawn pictures and short clips of choppy writing only he knew how to read. It was troubling, but he couldn't form a single conclusion about anything written in the journals.

"What does it all _mean_, Leaf?" He asked aloud, pulling a journal over the paper.

"Professor!" A voice called, the door opening and closing. Oak looked up, a black-haired female dressed in a dark T-shirt and shorts walked in, a Pokéball clasped in her hand.

"Ah, Red!" Oak stood up, "What're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Ha, about that," Red rubbed the back of her head, "I dropped out; we don't have any more money for me to continue goin', so... But enough about that, I wanted to give you something."

"And what's that?" Oak asked, curiosity lacing with his tone.

"I… found this ball when I was looking for my keys at the edge of town, is it your ball?" Red held out the Pokéball. Oak eyed it suspiciously, not many trainers came through Pallet Town.

"I… don't believe so, but could you open it for me, Red?" Red nodded and tossed the ball into the air, a bright light shooting out of it.

A skinny, small, yellow rodent-like creature stood in front of them, staring at the two. Recognition hit Oak like a stampede of wild Pokémon and he knelt down, holding out his hand to the Pokémon.

"Leonello!" He called the Pokémon's name, "Where have you been?"

Leonello looked around, relief flooding through his body. He slumped slightly, though he fidgeted where he stood, "I-I've been stuck in that damn ball… since _he_ left me."

"I thought you'd…" Oak stood, clearing his throat, "Well, let's not worry about that. Sora's been missing you terribly, Leonello."

"H-Has she?" Leo couldn't stop the slight stutter, "Well, I best not keep 'er waitin'."

"Is he gonna be okay?" Red asked. Leo looked dirty and hurt. His fur was matted and he looked sickly.

"He'll be fine, Red. I'll have a look at him. Thank you for returning him to me." Oak said, "If you come by tomorrow, I'll have something for you."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, professor, Leonello." Red left shortly after, knowing there wasn't much she could do for Leo.

"It's _scary_ how much she looks just like him…" Leo shivered. Oak picked him up, nodding.

"I know, but she didn't used to look like that… At any rate, let's get you checked up and looked at, you've been gone a while… I'll have to update you on everything that's happened…" Oak informed him.

"I bet it'll be a story for the ages…"

* * *

"There are only so many places he can be, Red." Green said, holding a finger up as if he was saying something important, "And he's not here, so… I dunno; try to walk in the tall grass. You know better than anyone that he has these sensors about that type of shit."

She was kicked out of the lab after Green's terrible advice was given, "B-But G-Green! You know that we're not supposed to…"

"Tough Skitty, Red!" Green called through the door, "You're looking for him, after all."

Red knew he was right, but that didn't stop the slight shake in her knees and fidget in her step as she approached the edge of town, "Green's _so_ getting shucked in the throat for making me do this…" Red mumbled.

The edge of town seemed a little scarier than Red had originally thought. The over-grown grass was a little darker and the calls of Pokémon were harsher. Curses and slurs were thrown around carelessly and even though her height was just a few inches shorter as the tall grass' highest blades, she could see corpses decorating many of the patches of grass.

"Where ya goin', girly?" A heavily accented voice to her left warned. Red snapped her head in the direction. Leo sat there, his hair in a tuft at the top of his head and a pendant around his neck.

"I was gonna look for the professor, he sort of… runs off on his own…" Red told him, "And he wasn't in his lab."

"Well, ya don't have t' go out there, Oak's waitin' at th' lab for ya. C'mon." Leo hopped from the fence post and ran ahead, Red following behind him at a moderate pace.

True to what Leo had said, Oak was waiting at the lab, more specifically, the lab's ranch. He was sitting on a bench, watching Green move about the stable, filling up the troughs for the Rapidash and their kin. He would've helped, had his old body allowed him to move more than a dozen or so steps without getting pains in the soles of his feet.

"Found 'er!" Leo called, running and hopping up onto the table, "She was gonna leave town!"

"Red! I was looking for you!" Oak waved as Red came closed, panting slightly. She wasn't a runner.

"I was looking for you too! Green kicked me out of the lab." She shot him a glare, though Green only continued with his chore.

"That doesn't matter now." Oak waved his hand dismissively, "Could you help Green feed the Pokémon? Afterwards, I've got something to tell you both."

As most chores went when Red and Green were involved, they were done quickly with little care for whether or not it was done right. Everything was a contest with the two and Red, being the weaker, always lost when it came to these things.

But Oak wasn't surprised nor happy with the results that Red and Green produced, "Both of you." He had said, his tone stern, "Do it again."

He'd made Red start at the far end of the ranch. It was mostly the grasslands which led into the rocky terrain for ground and rock types, which was littered with small caves and the like. Green had to start on the other end, near the large lake which led towards a small forest.

"Why is this damn ranch so _big_?" Green mumbled, alternating between pulling up weeds the Pokémon in the area didn't like and sprinkling seeds and feed around.

"Well, Oak has had a lot of trainers try the 'Dex challenge in the past… these are the Pokémon they've caught." A small Pokémon crept up on Green's left, making him jump slightly.

"I know that…" Green turned to look at the fluffy brown Eevee behind him, "What're you doing here anyway? I thought all the Eevee lived in Red's part."

"Yeah, well I came to see what you were doing." She pawed at the ground, making holes for the seeds, "My name's Sora."

"Hm, I'm Green." Green introduced.

"It's nice to meet you, Green." Sora replied, creeping away as Green went back to planting.

* * *

"God-dammit, all of you stupid Pidgey!" Red yelled, running after a large flock of Pidgey. They'd stolen her bag of feed and were currently trying to fly away with it. "I hope all of you get shocked by lightning!"

Suddenly, electric yellow bolts shot up into the sky, scattering the Pidgey and making them drop the bag of feed. Squawked curses and yelps were heard as the Pokémon flew away and the feed dropped.

Red looked down at her hands, her eyes wide, "What is this power I have obtained, oh sweet baby Mew."

"Tha' was me, doll. Ya didn' do a damn thing." Leo called, trotting up to stand in front of Red.

"Aw, damn." Red kicked the grass, "And I thought I was gonna be like… human Zapdos and junk…"

"Ah, don't feel bad, doll, the Pidgey dun know it was me." Leo reminded her.

"Alright! Yeah!" Red pumped her fist, "Are you alright, Leo? Yesterday you weren't lookin' so hot."

"Hm, yeah I'm fine. Just' needed a li'l R&R, now I'm fine. Anyways, what're y' doin' now?" Leo trotted along with Red as she dropped the feed into a box which she locked.

"Well, I'm done with this grassland area and I'm movin' on to the rocky habitat. I need to push some rocks around and pass out raw meat." Red told him, to which Leo nodded.

"Sounds boring…"

"It is, believe me, I've done it before." Red replied. "But after that, I'll be done."

"Hm, alright…" Leo crept away as Red began trying her best to lift rocks and having the Pokémon around her laugh at her struggles.

"You all suck! Not helping me or nothin'! Especially you, Rick!" Red's shouts followed Leo as he returned to the bench where Oak was seated, scratching Sora on the head.

"So what do you think of her, Leonello?" Oak asked when Leo sat next to him.

"Well, she certainly don't act like 'e does…" Leo said, "But I'm thinkin' tha's a good thing."

Oak nodded, taking in this information, "And you, Sora?"

"He's impatient, but he's a good kid, still has a lot to learn though…" Sora said, sitting up.

"Hm, they both have a lot to learn…" Oak replied.

"Well, now is a good time to have them doing just that…"

* * *

**Hello all and those who have followed me as an author! This is my first real attempt at a Nuzlocke challenge. If you're not sure what it is, basically, it's a challenge with Pokemon where if your pokemon faints in battle, it's dead. You have to box it and can't use it again and if your whole party dies, game over. Since this is my first attempt, I've decided that I'm not going to start over, I'll just go back to my latest save point. I'll be using Yellow as my game and here are the rules! So, thanks!**

_**Any Pokémon that faints is considered dead, and must be released/boxed for the remainder of the game.**_

_**I may only catch the first Pokémon encountered in each area, and none else. If the first Pokémon encountered faints or flees, there are no second chances. RULE EXCEPTION: Duplicate Pokemon (Nobody wants a team of Rattata except Joey, right?)**_

_**Nickname ALL pokemon. (I do this already)**_

_**And finally, in the case of blacking out, I must restart to last save point.**_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Because it's Real Smooth**

* * *

"You see how smooth things can go when you do them the _right_ way?" Oak said, sitting in front of the two dirtied teenagers.

"It takes _longer_!" Green whined, but Red only guzzled down the lemonade Oak had provided them.

"You wouldn't have had to do it over had you two not been competing and rushing. Not everything's a contest, you two." Oak reprimanded them. "At any rate, let's go inside."

Green and Red followed the older man into the building and down a narrow hallway, when Oak stopped, they were inside his study. It was messy, to say the least. Books, papers and various objects were strewn about the desk and floor signaling Oak was looking for something.

"Excuse the mess, you two." Oak chuckled, "I had to find them and make sure they worked—it's been a while since I last had someone use them, so I needed to order some parts."

"Use what, gramps?" Green took a step towards the desk, while Oak moved piles of papers and books out of the way.

"Ah! Here they are!" The gray haired man held up two red rectangles, "These are of my own design. A _Pokémon encyclopedia_ or Pokédex for short. I'd like you two to do something for me."

"Does it involve taking those somewhere? Like… on a journey?" Green inquired.

"Right on the nail, as usual." Oak praised, "Yes, I'd like you and Red to go out, see new places, things and Pokémon in place of myself and fill up the Pokédex."

"But we don't have Pokémon…" Red's comment made Green come to this realization, quickly dashing the excitement he felt.

"Well, I've got a remedy for that." Leo and Sora stepped forward, "Leonello and Sora have agreed to become your partner Pokémon."

"I guess it's th' least I can do, doll." Leo shrugged, "I mean, y' save m' life an' all…"

"Well, I guess it is okay… mom won't mind much…" Red tried to assure herself.

"Whatever, now that we've got Pokémon, let's battle!" Green pointed at Red, "I challenge you to a battle!"

Red shook her head, "Fine, but outside."

Green, being ever impatient, grabbed Sora and climbed out of the window above the desk. "Garret! We don't climb out of windows!" Oak yelled after his grandson before turning to Red, "I don't suppose you want to go this way as well?"

"Nah, I may wear shorts, but I don't like windows. I'm usin' the door." Red replied, leaving Oak's study, the professor following behind her.

The sun was still high in the sky and Red had to squint, as Green stood right in front of the sun. Leo jumped from Red's shoulder, standing in front of her in a battle pose. Sora did the same in front of Green, winking subtly at Leo. "Whenever you are dearest trainer."

"Red, but alright. Um, you're only level five, so Thunderbolt?!" Red commanded with uncertainty.

"Hyper beam!" Green countered. Sora rolled her eyes as did Leo. Oak face-palmed himself, wondering if Green even actually paid attention to what he told him.

"Don't know that." Sora replied easily. Red stood patiently waiting but Leo wanted to hurry and get this 'battle' over with.

"Well, what _do_ you know?" Green demanded, making Sora regret taking Green for a trainer.

"Tackle. I'm only level five, sweetie." She replied, pouncing on Leo just as he summoned electricity from the pouches on his cheeks. Sora flopped to the side, missing the lightning strike by a good few inches.

The fight was over before it even started and Red was named the victor. Green rolled his eyes, picking Sora up, "Whatever, Sora and I just let you win! We'll get tougher! Smell ya later, losers!"

He left, leaving Red and Leo alone with Oak. Oak smiled, "Sora will help him mellow out… Hopefully…"

* * *

Red waved at Oak as she and Leo made their way back to her house. Leo shifted his place on Red's shoulder, trying to get comfortable. Finally, he rested on her head, "So what's th' plan, doll?"

"Well, I hadn't thought of that." Red admitted, "Getting you was sort of a surprise to me… but I think I want to travel… Maybe…"

"Let's take th' gym challenge." Leo offered. Red turned the knob to her house, "I mean, it's th' only logical option. If y' think 'bout it."

"The gym challenge is dangerous! There's death, y'know!? A road rarely travelled by females!" Red replied, as far as she knew, there weren't many girls in the gym challenge.

"Then change it up, I wanna battle. I _gotta_ battle." Leo replied. Red shook her head. She didn't want to battle, battling meant unnecessary deaths.

Red's mother was still passed out on the couch when she returned home with Leo. Red didn't pay her any mind, but continued towards the kitchen, "Well, I'm hungry. Are you?"

"You're avoiding what I'm sayin', doll." Leo hopped onto the counter, "Alright, look, I know ya don't wanna kill anybody an' I get that, respect." Leo's eyes followed Red as she moved around the kitchen, "But seriously? I'm a fuckin' Pikachu, we're _made_ for battles."

"No," Red stopped, turning to look at him, "You're not made to even pass the first gym! Pikachu are a rare species as of now. Besides, Brock, the first gym leader has rock/ground types! Electric types can't go up against them without dying or getting severely in battle! You may be confident, but I know what I'm talking about."

"Doll, just give it a chance! If we don't beat the first gym then we'll quit a'ight? But y'gotta follow _all_ th' trainer's rules, meanin' ya gotta catch some more 'mons, kay?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Red!" Her mother clapped, leaning against the kitchen door frame, "You know, it'd be a great thing for you to travel. Just give it a try like he said! And put some pants on! Only weirdo people and little kids wear shorts."

Red looked from Leo's hopeful face to her mother's and back again. She sighed, looking away from them, "Fine, but I'm keeping the shorts."

* * *

The next day found Red and Leo walking down the winding trail that was called Route One. Leo was clearing a path while Red walked behind him, as if she did this all the time.

"This… is surprisingly _easy_…" Red admitted as Leo once more shocked another Pidgey. It didn't put up much of a fight and Leo gained another level.

"Yeah, 'cause we're at the beginnin', doll. It'll get harder if you decide to continue." Leo climbed onto Red's shoulder, looking ahead, "A lot harder."

"It can't be much harder… Look, there's Viridian!" Red pointed, the large city coming into view.

Red had never been anywhere but Pallet Town, so seeing the large buildings that looked like they'd touch the sky and the large amount of people put her into a small shock. She recovered before she could make a scene and continued on.

"I can't make heads or tails of this stupid map, Red." Leo leaned on Red's head, and she shrugged, she couldn't either.

"You should've known that professor Oak wasn't the best at drawing maps…" Red could vaguely remember herself and Green being stuck in a tree after having been sent to the store with directions from Oak.

"Well, I didn't know! 'Sides, what makes ya think I would know? I still don't even know what we're here for." Leo crossed his arms while keeping himself on Red's shoulder.

"The professor guilt-tripped me into coming to get his package for him. It should be in the Pokémart…" Red looked around.

"S'over there, Red." Leo pointed his chubby paws in the direction of the blue roofed building.

Red made her way towards the Pokémart.

* * *

"So," Green tapped his foot impatiently, "_Why_ exactly did you call me back?"

"Remember the Pokédexes from yesterday?" Oak asked. Red didn't mind the walking she had to do, she needed exercise. Oak cut open the box, setting the box cutter down and pulling out a small bundle. "Alright, within this bundle are the parts I needed for the Pokédex." Oak maneuvered the Pokédexes and the parts together, before powering them up. A little tone accompanied this and Oak handed the two to Red and Green.

Red and Green took the Pokédexes from Oak, both curiously turning them over in their hands, "What's it do?" Green asked, "Does it do something cool?"

"It records data on all of the Pokémon that you catch! I'd like both of you to go out and capture Pokémon to complete it." Oak replied. Green frowned, tossing the Pokédex carelessly into his bag.

"Alright, I'll do it, but I won't need your help, loser. Smell ya later!" Green left the lab, Sora in tow and Red watched him go.

"Did he suddenly become a douche within the span of almost a day?" Leo mumbled.

Red shrugged, biding Oak goodbye and left his lab, "Nah, he's always like that. Just not in front of his grandfather most of the time."

* * *

"So, this time we're gonna train and catch a teammate, okay?" Leo informed Red; she only nodded, settling herself near a tree.

"I should call my mom…" Red mumbled, digging through her small backpack for her phone.

Minutes later, her mother picked up the phone, _"Suzuki residence!" _Her mother's voice was ever chirper and Red frowned at the tone.

"Mom, it's me." Red simply stated, her mother squealed on the other line, making Red cringe, "I just called to say I don't know if we'll be home for dinner…"

"_Well okay!"_ Akane didn't sound disappointed, _"I'll just eat with Daisy and the professor! Have fun on your journey, bye!"_

"Hm, easier than I thought…" Red looked up, just in time to have Leo come flying at her face, slamming the back of her head against the tree with a loud crack. "Leo! What the fuck!"

Leo fell into her lap and Red rubbed the back of her head, checking for blood. When there wasn't any, she looked down at the Pokémon in her lap.

"I think we should leave this route and never come back." Leo said abruptly, pulling on Red's shirt.

"And why? Did you start some Pidgey-Rattata war or something?" The idea was pretty funny to Red, but the somber look she was given made the idea less funny.

"And they think that I'm the Rattata king and you're my evil handler…" Leo finished. Red gave Leo a look that said _'Are you kidding me?' _Her eyebrow twitched slightly and Leo chuckled nervously.

The suddenly harsh wind propelled Leo towards the tall grass, but Red caught him in time and she ducked, narrowly avoiding being bitten by a Rattata. "Oh, Leo, you suck!"

Screaming, cursing and yelling was all that anyone could hear and the strangest sight of a girl being chased by a flock of Pidgey and a pack of Rattata with her Pikachu shocking as many as it could didn't go unnoticed by the small population of trainers on the route.

"Who was that?" One asked, watching Red run by screaming.

His friend shrugged, "She's probably one of those Pallet Town nuts. You know they're crazy when they come from there."

"Should we… I dunno, help?" He asked after Red tripped.

"Naw ain't nobody got time for that." His friend replied, to which the other shrugged; he didn't have time for that.

* * *

"Leo, you're terrible." Red was covered in Band-Aids. She sat on the bed in the room provided to her by the Pokémon center.

"How was I supposed to know tha' a li'l trash talk'd start a war?" Leo crossed his chubby arms, "An' ya ac' like I didn't get mauled too."

Bandages covered the middle of Leo's torso. "Well you don't know wild Pokémon then." Red replied easily, lying back on the bed.

"So it's safe t' say there's n'way we're goin' back t' catch a 'mon on Route One?" Leo hopped onto the bed.

"You guessed right." Red replied lazily, "And I don't think we'll be going out any time soon, Nurse Joy seemed a little angry at us."

Red and Leo stayed in the Pokémon center until the next day, when they were cleared to leave by Nurse Joy. Red stretched, Leo climbing up her body to rest on her shoulder. "So where to now, doll?"

"Well, according to this map," Red pulled out the map she had been given by Daisy, "We can go to Route twenty-two and catch a teammate."

"Then let's do that." Leo said and Red began walking towards the route.

It proved difficult for her, since Red didn't know much about actually training Pokémon. "I wanna quit… this is hard!" Red whined, flopping onto the ground, ignoring the pain that came from it.

"Doll, y' said you'd try…" Leo tapped her on the head, "An' yer not even doin' anythin'! We jus' got 'ere anyway!"

"Well that doesn't mean it's not hard, Leo… Now I see why most trainers are dudes, they're built for this shit. I think we should go home, maybe watch some TV or something…" Red replied.

"That's crazy talk! Girls can do anything that boys can do—maybe even better than they can do it!" Another voice, more high-pitched than Leo's, rang. Red looked up, her blood-colored eyes boring into those of the Pokémon before her.

It was small, standing on four legs and light blue in color. The large ears atop its head stood on end and the whiskers of the Pokémon twitched wildly. Nidoran stood proudly in front of Red and Leo.

"Aw!" Red sat up, pulling the Nidoran closer, "You're so cute—Ack!"

"Watch it, girlie!" Leo pushed the Nidoran out of Red's grasp, "She's a poison-type."

"Too late for that…" Nidoran replied, watching Red fall over, poisoned, "Well, it shouldn't be long before she recovers… But if it's any consolation, I'm sorry."

"Meh, I've only been wit' 'er for a day, but 'm sure she won't blame ya fer her stupidity." Leo said, fiddling with his pendant, "Th' name's Leo, you got a name?"

Nidoran nodded, "Ara, but are you sure your trainer will be okay? She looks a little… well _dead_."

Leo tapped Red's leg, to which she mumbled incoherently and twitched, "She's fine, see? Jus' takin' a li'l nap. Anyway, we're here t' catch teammates, wanna be part of our team?"

"The other Pokémon said to stay away from trainers but… I want to be stronger and trainers do that for Pokémon, right?" With a nod from Leo, Ara smiled, "Then I'll join you, but don't go asking anyone else from this route to join you, it'd be a little weird…"

"Done, hey doll!" Leo tapped Red's leg, "We got a new teammate!"

Red gurgled in response, "Okay, I think we should take her to the hospital."

"She's fine," Leo replied, "She doesn't need th' stinkin' hospital."

* * *

**Pokemon: 2**

**Boxed: 0**

**Death: 0**


	4. Chapter 3: Viridian Forest

**Chapter Three: Viridian Forest Pt. 1**

* * *

When Red had finally recovered, it wasn't because of natural causes. Green had shown up hours prior to Red waking up, having seen her Pokémon fending off wilds and stray trainers from attacking them. He had sprayed Red with a spare antidote and waited with her Pokémon until she woke up.

"I thought she'd be fine…" Was Leo's answer and Ara had only shaken her head, telling him that they should've taken her to the hospital.

Now she was fine, and Green was cooking something that smelled oddly like chicken. Red sat up, looking around. They were all seated around a small fire.

"Looks like doll's awake." Leo commented, everyone turning to look at the girl near the tree.

"Heh… er, sorry…?" Red offered, crawling closer to the fire. It wasn't very warm out, which was surprisingly, considering it was summer time.

"Yeah, you should be!" Green smacked her on the back of the head, "I had to watch out for your dumbass while you were taking a nap!"

"If you hadn't noticed, I was freaking _poisoned_! You're a jerk." Red crossed her arms, pouting.

"Well if I'm such a jerk, then I'm just gonna eat this Pidgey by myself. Since I'm such a jerk and all." Green pulled the stick with the Pidgey stuck on it from over the fire, waving it in front of Red, "So you can eat whatever you've got in there."

It smelled good, Red couldn't deny that, but she didn't want to give into Green. He would make her regret that, "Well that's just fine; we'll catch our own dinner, right Leo?"

"Naw, doll, it's dark now an' Ara hasn't been back for a while." Leo replied easily, "So y' best beg for some 'o his Pidgey meat."

"Ara? Who's that?" Red asked, curious.

"Don't even know your own Pokémon?" Green laughed, "You're a pathetic trainer."

Red shot him a glare, turning back to Leo, "Seriously, who is Ara?"

"Me!" Ara's voice rang out, and she bounded closer, something stuck in her mouth.

"Yeah, she's th' one who poisoned ya earlier." Leo explained and Red nodded.

"Well, welcome to the team then, Ara…" Red offered, carefully scratching Ara on the head.

Ara spit out what was in her mouth, showing that she had caught a Pidgey as well, "I caught dinner for us!"

"Let's 'ave a feast, it's a fat Pidgey!" Leo cheered, "C'mon, Red!"

"Ah…." Red stared at the Pidgey, its entrails pouring out of its stomach and blood covering the small animal. "I'll pass…"

Leo shrugged, "Suit yourself." He and Ara said, splitting up the parts of the Pidgey. Green's own Pokémon wandered over, picking at parts of the Pidgey.

Green rolled his eyes, offering some of his food to Red, "Don't say I never gave you anything."

For the rest of the evening, things were quiet.

* * *

"Woo! Onward team! Back towards Viridian!" Red fist pumped. Leo perched himself on Red's shoulder while Ara walked beside her. Red was still weary of the poison within Ara, so that was the closest the poison-type would get. "Can't believe that loser didn't ask for a battle…"

"Oh, he did, when he first found us on th' route. We won, o' course, but you were unconscious." Leo replied. "Money's in y' bag."

Viridian City didn't have much else in it for Red and she quickly made her way towards the forest, "Viridian is big, guys… and we're short on money, so I can't really buy many antidotes."

"Don't worry, doll, we got ya. Y' don't gotta worry 'bout us." Leo told her. He and Ara smiled reassuringly at Red.

Red and her small team set their sights towards Route Two, the route that would take them to Viridian forest. It wasn't a long Route at all and mostly populated by female Nidoran. It was 8:30AM when they'd left Viridian after a short trip from the Pokémart and now it was almost noon.

Red called for a small rest and lunch time, Ara going off onto the route to find something to eat. Red watched her go, frowning, "We'll have to wean her off of eating something right after killing it…"

"Meh," Leo dug through Red's small bag, "S' not like Ara can get diseases, she's been eatin' it all 'er life. 'Sides, it's not affectin' you and me, so she'll be fine."

"Well… I guess…" Red took a bite of the sandwich she'd bought from the Pokémart, "You want some of this?"

She offered a fairly big piece of the sandwich to Leo, which he took. Soon, Ara returned, though she didn't look as bloody as the first time. When Red finished off the sandwich, they left towards the forest.

The stories of Viridian forest, to say the least, didn't do the place justice. It was much more hot, humid and dark. Red could barely see anything around the small patches of sunlight streaming through the thick canopy of leaves. They'd only been in the forest under twenty minutes and she was already sweating as if she'd run a marathon.

"It's dark in here…" Red mumbled, pulling out her flashlight, "I hope we can make it through…"

"We should be able to, I mean, it's only Leo who is really at risk for poison, and I _am_ a poison type." Ara said proudly.

"Don't forget about our trainer." Leo reminded Ara. Ara blushed slightly, ducking her head.

"I'll be fine as long as nothing extreme happens… After all, I think those antidotes make humans like immune or something…" Red explained, wiping sweat from her brow.

They were quiet for a few more minutes; Red began blindly stumbling down a path after passing by the first small patch of light. "Doll, ya can't keep stumblin', yer gonna trip ova one o' us or somethin'." Leo grumbled, having been pushed off of Red's shoulder.

Red wiped her sweaty hands on the back of her shorts and dropped onto her knees, she didn't trust her ability to stand and find her way through the forest anymore.

"Anybody know what time it is?" Red asked, feeling around for her two Pokémon, she was getting tired.

"It should be what you humans call 'dusk'." Another voice rang. In the dimming light, Red was able to make out a Caterpie, crawling towards them at a slow pace.

"Dusk? It's almost night-time?!" Red yelled, only to be quieted down by Leo. "I thought it was around noon still!"

"Yeah, doll, the Caterpie just said dusk, that means we can stop an' camp for th' night. Pokémon get a li'l crazy at night…" Leo told her, pulling his trainer towards a tree.

"Camping in the forest isn't such a good idea…" The Caterpie told them, crawling after the small group, "But I'll help you until you get out of the forest…"

"Thanks, but we'll still be camping here, see humans need rest and our trainers a bit of a complainer, so we're gonna stay…" Ara told the Caterpie, "But I'm sure Red wouldn't mind if you stayed with us, would you Red?"

Red shook her head, "Actually, it would be great if you stayed with us, we could train you and you could help us out of the forest. Equal exchange or somethin like that."

The Caterpie looked up, "T-Train me? Oh… no, I'm much too weak, but I'll help you out of the forest…"

"Nonsense, girlie," Leo waved his arm, "You can get stronger wit' us, tha's what we're here t' do 'nyway."

"Hm, we'll be champions or something." Red input, "Just because you're a Caterpie now doesn't mean that you can't become a Butterfree."

"Bug Pokémon usually don't last long on a trainer's team…" The Caterpie told her.

"Well, we're here to change shit, so yer gonna be fine, doll." Leo assured her.

"Besides, if we can train you up to be a Butterfree, you'll be able to mop the floor with Brock's Pokémon—if you want to come with us, that is." Red offered with Ara and Leo nodding along, though they couldn't see the Caterpie.

"W-Well… since you're all so confident… I-I guess I can join you. M-My name's Auriga." Auriga introduced.

"Great! Ha! I wonder how many Pokémon Green has! We have three! We're halfway to a full party!" Red cheered, blindly digging through her bag for a Pokéball.

"Well, when we faced him yesterday, he had two Pokémon." Ara informed her trainer. Red, having found the Pokéball, tapped it against Auriga's nose and the light flashed, momentarily showing their position before they were in darkness once more. The light flashed once more and Auriga was out of her ball.

"Tomorrow we'll spend the day training as best we can and the next day we'll try to get out of the forest, sound good?" Red explained her plan. Murmurs of agreement came from her small group and Red pulled out her sleeping bag. "Well let's get some sleep then…"

* * *

Red, surprisingly, was the first one up in the morning. The spot they had chosen to sleep in was in a secluded and mostly shaded area, but the light shining in through the canopy of trees hit her right in eyes. She shifted, sitting up and looking around.

Leo was curled up on the sleeping bag's end with Auriga on top of him while Ara lay next to the bag, knowing she was heavier and wouldn't allow her trainer to move around in her sleep. As slowly and carefully as she could, Red slid herself out of the bag without opening it.

She dug around in her bag, looking for something edible and cursing her mother for the small amount of starter money she was given. She couldn't blame the woman, however. Even Red knew they were poor and even receiving starter money was a surprise for her. She had barely any food and was practically inept at catching food like Ara and cooking it like Green.

All in all, Red was particularly useless. She sighed, sitting back on her legs, "Wonder what there is to eat in this forest…"

"Berries… And maybe Pokémon corpses if we're lucky." Auriga inched over to Red's side, startling her a little.

"You scared me, Rii, but where are these things you speak of?" Red asked, picking the small bug up.

"They're around… a few m-minutes that way i-is a river where we can catch M-Magikarp and fill your bottle, in the other direction is the 'V-Viridian Forest Fight Arena'." When Auriga noticed the look of confusion on Red's face, she elaborated, "See, it's this c-clearing near the middle of the f-forest where Pokémon trainers and wild Pokémon f-fight. If we're gonna t-train, we should start around here and then test our s-skills there."

"Hm, sounds like a plan. Anyway, let's go check out that river." Red stood up, "I'm sure Leo and Ara will be fine."

She picked up her water bottle and the pocket knife she'd stored in her bag.

The river was long and wide and cold—Red had tripped into it, wetting herself many times within the span of a few minutes. Auriga was getting training in, knocking the Pokémon Red would kill for breakfast unconscious.

"It sucks having to kill Pokémon like this…" Red wasn't a stranger to the brutality of killing Pokémon for food, but it had to be done if they were to survive.

Auriga, now bigger than she had been before, shrugged as best she could, "Well, that's the circle of life. I think us bug-types know it better than anyone."

Red finally managed to catch another of the unconscious Pokémon as it was slapped her way by another tackle attack. Slicing off the head, Red tossed it onto the grass where two other Magikarp laid. Blood poured from the bodies onto the grass. "I think this should be enough."

With the Magikarp's bloody carcasses in her arms and Auriga on her shoulder, Red made her way back to her 'camp'.

It was a mess, to say the least. But Leo and Ara managed to start a small fire. "Red!" Ara yelped, running over to her trainer, "We thought you got kidnapped or something!"

"Don't run off like dat, 'specially not in 'ere. S'dangerous." Leo scolded her.

"It's fine, I had Rii with me." Red pointed to the Pokémon that should have been on her shoulder. "Where'd she go?!"

"Up here!" Three pairs of eyes were drawn up to the tree; a crescent shaped green colored Pokémon. "I evolved!"

"What is that?" Ara asked. Red pulled out her Pokédex.

"It's called a 'Metapod'." Red looked back up to Auriga. Her shell looked hard and rough, lined with a gooey white substance which kept her practically glued to the tree, "So now you're basically useless."

"Does that mean you're going to leave me here?" Auriga panicked, Red stood, waving her hands around.

"No, of course not! We won't leave you! After breakfast, we'll figure out how to take you off of the tree and then we'll… find out how to train you while you're… er, a pod." Red assured her.

"Red, jus' one thing…" Leo said, "Don't y'know yer posed t' clean th' fish at th' river?"

"…Fuck."

* * *

"That was oddly… better than I thought it'd be." Leo burped, rubbing his stomach.

"Oh, you're saying I should suck at cooking?" Red shot back, frowning at her starter.

"He just means you're lazy and you complain a lot, so he didn't expect you to be able to cook." Ara explained to which Leo nodded, "But it was good, Red."

"Well… I'll let it slide for now," Red stood, wobbling slightly as she walked over to the tree Auriga was stuck to, "First things first, getting you down." She tried pulling her, scraping off the white substance and a few other things before she sighed, shaking her head.

Red pulled out Auriga's Pokéball, recalling her and then letting her out on the ground. Red blinked, feeling stupid. "Easier than I thought it'd be. Now! Let us begin training!"

Red packed up her small amount of supplies while Leo and Ara kicked dirt on the fire. Auriga sat around doing nothing because of her limited movement. Red picked her up after shouldering her backpack.

"So how we doin' this, doll?" Leo asked, jumping onto Red's shoulder, "Wit' Rii bein' all immobile and shit?"

"Well, Leo," Red replied, "I hadn't thought of that, actually. Maybe we can just use her as a bat until she evolves, it's not like she can tackle much anymore…"

"What about her feelings?!" Ara jumped up, "I think that's a terrible idea, what if she breaks?"

"I-It's fine, Ara…" Auriga spoke up, "I-I know Harden now… when Red or Leo tries to s-swing me, I'll just use Harden so my shell w-won't break."

"See? We're all smart and contributing to Team BAMF." Red told her, "So don't worry."

"BAMF?" Leo repeated, "What th' fuck is a BAMF?"

"Bad-Ass Motherfuckers. That's our team name, unless you guys have a problem with that." Red explained.

"I think we should go with something simple that doesn't sound bad." Ara input.

"Yeah! That name's fuckin' dumb. Sounds like a kid made it up." Leo agreed, "If we're namin' our team, why not jus' name it after th' trainer?"

"Cause…" Red whined, "That's _boring_."

"Well it's that or no team name." Ara said, "So pick."

"_Fine…_" Red frowned, "But I won't like it. Team Red, move out!"

* * *

**Pokemon: 3**

**Death: 0**

**Boxed: 0**

**Badges: 0**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Viridian Forest Pt. 2**

* * *

When they reached an open clearing, Red called her team to a stop, setting down Auriga next to Ara. She dropped her bag and stood still, looking around.

"So, first thing we're gonna do is work on individual skills, kay? I saw it on the TV once, so we're gonna do that." Red told them, "Alright, from what the Pokédex told me, Pikachu are supposed to be really agile."

"I already know that, doll. I _am _a Pikachu." Leo replied, giving her a glare.

"Well, you get to do the running in the clearing. It'll make you faster. Run the length of the clearing three times, okay?" Red told him. Leo frowned, rolling his eyes before beginning to run.

"Alright, now for you, Ara… um, Nidoran are supposed to learn double kick according to the Pokédex, so you can just… practice karate on that tree! With this instructional guide!" Red pulled out a book, "My mom gave it to me, and she said I should learn how to fight or something, but she forgot that I've taken karate for a few years now."

"I don't know how to read though." Ara replied easily, "So how am I supposed to read it?"

"Don't. Just look at the pictures and you'll be fine. I'll come over there after I've figured out what to do with Rig and finished with Leo." Red told her. Ara accepted this and grabbed the book with her teeth, trotting away to the far side of the clearing.

"I hate you, Red!" Leo's called, passing behind them out of breath, "Fuck you an' yer suddenly made up trainin' regimen."

"Love you too, fatty!" Red replied equally as loud, "Work off that Magikarp!" She turned back to Auriga who sat patiently, since she couldn't do much else. "Hm… what can we have you do, Auriga?"

"I don't know… this is sort of my first time being a Metapod and all…" Auriga replied softly, "But I don't think there's anything I can do…"

"Nonsense," Red waved Auriga's doubt away, "We'll find you something to do. I don't know what it is now, but we'll find it."

Red stood up, heading over to where Leo was trotting along, "Get your fat butt in gear, Leo! You're the team leader, act like it!"

"Easier for you to say, yer not th' one runnin', are ya?" Leo huffed. He wasn't used to this sort of training.

"Shut it, tubby. You wouldn't be panting if you weren't mumbling curses so much." Red jogged alongside Leo.

"Whatever… And it's not like you're the skinniest stick in the pile, Red..." Leo mumbled, moving faster than Red by a fraction.

"You keep running, fatty. It'll do ya some good." Red replied easily keeping up with him, "C'mon, you're supposed to be faster than me. And I'm not the 'skinniest stick' right?"

"Fuck you!" Leo squeaked, tripping as he tried to flip Red off. Red only laughed, stopping her jog when she reached where Ara was standing, punching and kicking a tree.

"Hey, Ara, how's it going?" Red waved.

The Nidoran turned to her, "Fine I guess, but I don't really get it…"

"That's why I'm here!" For the next few hours, Red alternated between her three Pokémon figuring out what would be best for them. The sun that was shining brightly overhead in the clearing had dimmed some, showing it was later in the day.

"Food!" Red called her Pokémon to her, "I picked some berries."

"Berries, fuck that!" Leo yelled, "Gimme some water and _meat_!"

"Well there aren't any Pokémon around here other than Kakuna and Metapod, Leo. We've gotta make do with what we got." Red scolded him.

"Red, I've got a question…" Ara nibbled at a berry, Red nodded at her, signaling her to continue, "Of all the trainers I've seen, you and your friend are the only ones that are okay with eating Pokémon… Why is that?"

Ara had seen many trainers shy away in disgust at their Pokémon bringing them dead Pidgey or Rattata for dinner. She noticed they'd much rather eat those cup of string-things than eat pokemon meat.

"Well," Red tapped her chin, "Green and I are just different I guess. When we were younger, we sorta got lost in the forest part around Pallet Town; we had to eat the dead Pokémon like the Pokémon that lived there until we were found. So it doesn't bother me much. Of course I had to get shots after…"

"Hm, that is a little weird… At least it means that we won't spend much money on food." Ara replied. Red nodded, agreeing.

"Well, in any case, we should set up camp and train a little bit more. Tomorrow we can move further into the forest and see if there are any trainers." Red told them.

After they finished eating the berries and filling up on water, Red pulled out her sleeping bag and set it underneath a tree. Ara had taken Auriga, who was strapped to her back, further into the forest to look for something to eat for dinner and Leo helped Red start gather wood for the fire and fill up her water bottle.

When all of the chores were done, the sun was setting fire to the sky, lighting it with pretty orange and pink-ish wispy flame-like clouds, though Red and the others couldn't see that. Instead, they continued to train through the night, still thinking it was day due to Red not checking her Pokédex. When she assumed it was 'night', they finished setting up camp and Leo's thunderbolt attack lit their own, much smaller fire and Ara and Auriga returned, Ara dragging behind her two Weedle.

"Is that what we're 'posed t' eat?" Leo asked, looking over the two dead Weedle.

"Yeah, Ara," Red inspected them, "They're probably full of poison still. You know that stuff doesn't dry up until a week after the Weedle's dead."

Ara frowned, "Well I'll just eat them." She didn't have a problem with eating the two Weedle, as they wouldn't poison her.

"Sorry, Ara. I know you tried... I'll go back to the river and catch some Magikarp… C'mon, Rii." Red picked Auriga up.

* * *

The next day, Red and her small party began their trek through Viridian forest, delving deeper than Red had thought the forest was. Each step they took seemed to bring on more heat and darkness. Neither could be alleviated—Red's flashlight batteries died a while ago—so dealing with it became the only method they had.

"Just stick me in the ball!" Ara whined, her steps more sluggish than when they started.

Red pulled the Pokéball from her belt, "If that's what you want…"

"I-It's not much b-better in there…" Auriga commented. She had been in the Pokéball an hour before, but was let out for lunch and didn't want to return.

"Then I'll stay out…" Ara mumbled, "How much further 'till we reach this place, Red?"

"I dunno, but I'm lookin' for a spot with water nearby… So I'm not sure." Red replied, looking down at Ara.

"It's so _hot_…!" Ara complained.

"Well, sorry I can't do anything about it, Ara. Just deal, like Leo is." Red pointed to the electric type atop her head.

"Doll, I think I see a pond ova there." The small group darted towards the pond, drinking in as much of the water as they could.

"Oh sweet baby Mew, oh my Arceus this is the best thing I've ever tasted!" Red took a huge breath after drinking the water.

"Don't 'ave an orgasm, Red. S'only water." Leo sighed after he'd gotten his fill. Red only rolled her eyes, pulling off her clothes.

"Time for a bath!" Red dunked herself in the water, creating a small wave of water, which made Leo shy away from the water's edge.

"We'll go train while you play in the water." Ara nudged Auriga along, "Leo, you keep watch."

Leo sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against a nearby tree, he didn't want to stay behind and watch his careless trainer, "Hurry back! And don't get lost!" Red called before dunking her head in the water.

After Red's small bath, she and Leo began setting up their 'campsite'. When Ara and Auriga returned, hours later, Red was sitting beside a fire, flicking through the pages of the Pokédex with one hand and scratching Leo, who lay on her lap, with the other.

"Alright, guys!" Red called, "Tomorrow we're gonna try to escape this forest!"

"We've only been 'ere fer what? A two whole days, maybe? Now you wanna leave? Y' barely stink." Leo picked at his teeth.

"No, Leo, I checked the Pokédex, between what seemed to be 'yesterday' and what appears to be 'today'… We've been in this forest for a day more than we thought. It just doesn't feel like it because we've gone further in and the light stopped shining." Red explained, "So before we go further in the forest and get lost, we'll leave."

"I thought Rii told us it's only been a day?" Ara said, looking to the Metapod.

"Well, she's sorta stuck in a pod now, can't see much, y'know? Evolving probably knocked her clock off, cause remember when we were coming down here, and the sun was out?" Ara nodded, "The sun's supposed to be out now. We've been walking for a whole day." Red clapped, "So let's just rest for now and then we'll continue looking for the exit."

* * *

It proved far more difficult that Red had imagined, for what seemed like the fiftieth time, she'd passed the same pond they had camped near earlier. None of the trainers that Red had passed wanted to help them, so they were left on their own.

"All of these trainer suck." Red mumbled, wiping her forehead once again, "They're not even helping us…"

"Well, whaddya expect from 'em?" Leo dug in his ear, flicking away the wax, "Guess they expect y't' know y'way around."

"Well I don't!" Red whined, "They're all jerky assholes."

"Cheer up, Red." Ara tried, "If there are trainers then that means the exit had to be around here somewhere."

Red nodded, agreeing with her. Even though they were alone, she felt like they were still being watched, though. Red pressed on, not letting the heat or lack of food deter her. Things were getting fuzzy for her, but she looked to Ara who was trotting beside her happily with Auriga strapped to her back and her vision cleared a small bit.

For a while, nothing was said as they continued to head in the direction they thought was the exit. Red shivered, a sudden cold fear falling over her. Ara stopped, looking around and sniffing the air. Her ears twitched slightly.

"Red," She called softly, "Do you hear something?" Red stopped. Leo's ear twitched.

Nothing but a sudden breeze was heard. The breeze washed over Red, making her shiver. Ara moved to say something but was stopped, Red held her hand out, motioning her closer. Before she could come back to Red's side, she was thrown back into a tree.

"Fuck!" Ara yelled, hitting the tree and sliding down. She grunted and so did Auriga, an audible crack being heard.

"Ara! Rii!" Red yelled. Leo hopped from her head. Both of their eyes darted around, looking for something.

Red was pushed, falling and scraping her knees, "Ah, _what the fuck_?!"

She sat up just in time to be defended by Leo from an angry looking Beedrill. Its large body hovered over Red, the stingers would have just been an inch away from the back of her head had Leo not jumped. Leo was bleeding, but the blood didn't deter him, he let loose a strong electric charge, shocking and paralyzing the Beedrill. The wings stopped their loud buzzing and rapid flapping almost suddenly.

It fell to the ground, and Leo pulled the tip of the stinger out of his body, grunting as he did so.

"Leo!" Red panicked, she quickly recalled Auriga and Ara. Red then picked up Leo and began running, knowing that the Beedrill might get up again.

After running nonstop for a few more minutes, Red stopped, hopping to have gotten away the Beedrill, "What the fuck was up with that?" Red panted, "I didn't think there was any Beedrill in the forest…"

"Well there can't be… it's gotta be someone's Pokémon." Leo responded, though his breathing was labored.

Red couldn't reply, as she was knocked off of her feet and onto her stomach. Leo rolled away from her and into a standing position. He coughed, "Red, stay down!"

Behind her was a large green bug-like creature. Scyther had its large, gleaming blades raised above Red's body, ready to bring them down at any moment. It wasn't able to, as soon as it made a swing, Leo jumped, his body charged with electricity and Ara, who had freed herself from her Pokéball, had double kicked the Pokémon into a tree.

Leo dropped after that, the one attack taking the rest of his energy. Red crawled over to Leo, poking him lightly, when she saw he was still breathing she sighed in relief and looked to Ara who had been knocked away from the Scyther and was being advanced on by it.

She ran quickly, standing in front of the Scyther. It rammed it's blade into her skin, digging deep into the flesh and drawing fresh blood. Red screamed in pain, but managed to form a sentence. She screamed, "Don't fuck with my Pokémon!" Her red eyes gleamed determination and she grabbed the Pokémon by the blade, drawing blood into her hands. She used it as leverage and kicked the Pokémon back. The blade ripped itself out of her skin, taking a good chunk of flesh with it.

Red winced and screamed, but didn't back down.

The Scyther growled and moved back slightly as Red advanced on him. The Scyther didn't have much room to swing without knocking a branch down and hitting himself, so instead he yelled, "Bronze, now!"

From high above, a Butterfree sprinkled Sleep Powder over Red. She coughed, wincing as the powder covered her wounds. She backed away, tripping over a few rocks.

"She's disabled, boss. What now?" The Scyther addressed his trainer who moved closer. He wore a hood.

"Nothing, just leave her and the Pokémon. All I want is the Pokédex." He knelt down, digging through Red's bag. When he obtained it, he smirked, only to be knocked down by something else. "Shit, let's go!"

He and his Pokémon fled the scene. "Hey! Are you alright?" Another voice called.

"Pokémon… need… help…" Red mumbled, falling unconscious.

* * *

**Pokemon: 3**

**Deaths: 0**

**Boxed: 0**

**Badges: 0**


	6. Chapter 5: Recovery Training

**Chapter Five: Recovery Training**

* * *

"Would you _stop_? I think she'd coming to!" Nurse Joy snapped, smacking the hand of her intern. The intern frowned, pulling his hands away from the tray attached to the bed.

"I just wanted to make sure everything was ready for her!" He tried to justify his fidgeting. He couldn't stop, this being the first time he'd seen something so severe.

Red blinked a few times, with each blink her vision became clearer until finally, she could see the bright lights hanging from the ceiling of the sandy-colored room. Before she could even try to sit up, she was held down by the intern.

"You shouldn't be getting up now." He said, "You'll reopen your wounds."

Red turned her head, looking at Nurse Joy and her intern. "Do you know where you are?" Nurse Joy asked first.

"The Pokémon center—where are my Pokémon?" Red's voice sounded hoarse and foreign, she coughed, trying to clear her throat, "Where are they?"

"Well, do you know what kinds of Pokémon they were?" The intern asked, "Because we can't release them to you without you knowing which—"

"Ara, she's a female Nidoran, should be around level seven or eight—I'm not too sure. She's very confident and demanding." Red's voice was slowly getting better, "Then there's Auriga, she's a Metapod who has a slight stutter and maybe a slightly cracked shell. And lastly," She took a breath, "There's Leo, my starter. A Pikachu with a city accent, tuft of hair sticking out and a pendant."

"Got 'em all…" Nurse Joy nodded, "Your Pokémon are still recovering… Do you know what happened?"

"We were attacked by a man and his… _Pokémon_." Red answered, "He wanted my Pokédex…"

"Well, luckily you were saved in time." The intern said, "Or you might be dead!"

Red couldn't reply, though. A loud screaming was heard in the room next door. Nurse Joy got up, running to check it out but the intern stayed with Red.

"_Lemme outta here! Let me out!_" They could hear, accompanied by more screaming from other Pokémon and nurses.

The voice seemed familiar to Red, but she couldn't quite place a name to it until the voice started called her name, "Leo! I'm coming!" Red swung her legs over the edge of the bed in a fast manner, startling the intern.

"H-Hey! You can't get up, you're still injured!" He ran around the bed as Red began hobbling towards the door. Her dizziness didn't stop her and she wobbled closer to the door frame, reaching around blindly for anything to keep her upright.

"Leo's in trouble!" Her legs were becoming unsteady with each step, but she continued until she reached the door frame, leaning heavily against the wall as she walked towards the next room.

The intern helped her along, knowing it was futile to try and stop her now. Red panted as they neared the door.

"Let me the fuck out!" Leo screamed, banging on the glass of the dome he was stuck in, "I'll kill all of you! Red! _Red_!"

Red and the intern entered the room just as light bulbs began cracking from the built up electrical pressure Leo was giving off. Some busted while others flickered and the screaming from interns, nurse and doctors alike didn't stop.

"Let him out!" Red yelled, pushing away from the intern.

"This is what we do with Pikachu when they're injured! He has to stay!" One of the nurses informed, yelling over Leo's screaming.

"Let him out or I will and your shit will be broken!" Red screamed back, picking up one of the knives left out on a table, "Do it!"

The dome was dropped by a doctor and Leo jumped out, running towards Red as the lights stopped flickering. Red, trying to kneel, fell. Her legs weren't able to carry her just yet. The knife slid across the floor and Leo moved closer, his nose sniffing at her, "You okay, Red?"

"Yeah…" She managed, though the wind was knocked out of her, "How 'bout you? Doin' a lot of screamin'…"

"I…" Leo didn't answer, "Can someone get my trainer off the floor before I shock all your asses to kingdom come?!"

The intern and one of the nurses quickly ran over to Red's sides, lifting her. They both carried her back into her room and Leo followed. Nurse Joy surveyed the damage around the room, with a shake of her head, she turned, "This must be why there aren't many Pikachu left…"

* * *

"I shit you not!" Red laughed, leaning back against the pillow. John, the intern, sat at her side, a small smile playing at his lips, "Leo was fuckin' _bawlin'_ like a baby!"

Ara laughed as well, "That's hard to believe… Here I thought our leader was somebody great."

"Shut up, I don't like small spaces." Leo blushed, looking away from them, "But it's not like I fell on the floor."

Red smacked him, "Whatever. Had I not, your ass would still be in there."

"Don't worry Leo," Auriga voiced, "We all get scared sometimes."

"Matsuri?" Nurse Joy knocked at her open door, "You've got a visitor!"

"Visitor…? Mom visited yesterday with Oak…" Red frowned, wondering who could be visiting her, surely it wasn't Green, he'd come yesterday of what he deemed Oak's pushing, when in fact Oak had informed Red that he hadn't known where Green was. "Send them in, I guess…"

"Not to be mean, but you don't know a lot of people. Who'd wanna visit you anyway?" Ara asked, as they all curiously glanced at the door.

A dark-skinned, spiky-haired man walked in, dressed in an orange and black V-neck and dark green cargo pants. His eyes were hidden by sunglasses and John quickly left the room, closing the door after him, "So you're awake now, huh?"

"Y-Yeah… who are you?" Red asked, looking him up and down. She'd never seen him before in her life.

"It's a not that surprising you don't remember me." He chuckled, "I was the one who saved you in the forest." He removed his sunglasses, showing his green eyes, "My name's Brock and I'm the gym leader here in Pewter."

Red went into shock, "You're fuckin' with me, aren't you?" She laughed to herself, "That's gotta be it."

"Never heard a lady use such vulgar language, but there's a first time for everything." Brock replied, "But it's the truth, whether you believe it or not."

"N-No, I believe it…" Red mumbled, "It's just a shock, I hadn't known…"

"It's fine, you're feeling better, I hope?" Brock sat in the chair John was once sitting in.

When Red nodded, he continued, "Well, that's good. I've got something to ask you." When Red didn't say anything, he continued, "Just what are you trying to do?"

"W-What? What am I trying to do? Well, I was trying to get out of the forest, and after that we were going to challenge the gym." Red told him. He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, you shouldn't." He replied simply.

"Wait… _what_?" Red immediately questioned before Leo could even form a thought, "What do you mean I shouldn't?"

"A delicate flower like yourself… isn't cut out for battling. Look what happened to you in the forest; had I not shown up, you'd be dead. Girls, like you, are much too delicate and fragile to be traveling around, challenging gyms. Go home. Quit while you're ahead." Brock warned her.

"Fuck you!" Red spat, "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean that I can't do what you do! Oh, I happen to get hurt defending my Pokémon and suddenly I'm a _delicate flower_? You're a jerk and we're gonna kick your ass."

Brock stood, "Don't say I didn't warn you. When you challenge my gym and your Pokémon die, don't cry. Because I warned you… but if you want…" Brock twirled a piece of Red's hair, "I can make… an _exception_ and give you the badge if you do something for me…"

Before Brock could pull his hand away, he was covered in a pink swirl of energy and knocked unconscious, falling on the floor. The newly evolved Auriga hovered over the bed, "Step off my trainer, creep!" Her voice was louder than they had ever heard it to be.

"Whoa! Rii, you evolved!" Red's voice was full of amazement, "I'm so proud! But… _Ew_…" Red kicked the remains of Auriga's shell off of the bed. "I'm sure you'll be the only bug-type on the team if that's what happens after…"

"So you're totally and completely fine with this douche hitting on you?" Ara sounded angry.

"No…" Red replied, looking down at the gurgling Brock, "Had Rii not stepped in, I would've made him into a girl."

"Hm, that's what he gets, he's jus' lucky it was Rii and not me, I woulda killed the mothafucka. Mockin' my trainer…" Leo huffed just as the door opened.

"Nurse!" Red called, "Brock tripped." Nurse Joy came over to his side, checking him.

"Oh, you don't have to hide the fact that he tried to hit on you and your Pokémon took action, happens all the time." Nurse Joy waved the lie away, "The main reason why he started the patrols into Viridian once a week was to find lost trainers—mostly female and get them to sleep with him, you're one of the smart ones though."

"Well, thank you." Red smiled, crossing her arms.

"John! Come get Brock!" When John entered, Nurse Joy turned to Red, "Well, that's enough excitement for one day; I'll take your Pokémon and check them one more time. You've still got a few more days of rest before the Sleep Powder is completely out of your system."

Nurse Joy herded Red's Pokémon out of the room, John and the confused Brock following behind her.

* * *

"So… _This_ is all you've got?" Red pulled at the small skirt resting mid-thigh.

"Well, most trainers have extra sets of clothes and sturdy bags… not one pair of clothes and shoes and a school backpack." Nurse Joy told her. "Be lucky you're not walking out of here in the hospital gown."

"Well… I guess…" Red grabbed the plastic bag with her belongings inside. "Why do you have this anyway?"

"Sometimes picnickers and campers come around to use our washer and driers. When they leave suddenly—though this is rare— they leave clothes and we keep them. This girl happened to be dragged back home by her parents and never retrieved the clothes." Nurse Joy explained.

"Alright, well thanks. I'll probably be back later…" Red waved.

"Don't overexert yourself! Your arm is still healing!" Nurse Joy called.

Outside, Red looked around Pewter city, this being her first time actually looking. It was certainly smaller than Viridian, but had much more than Viridian did. She didn't know where the gym was currently, but she'd find it sooner or later. Not dwelling on it, Red released Ara and Auriga from their balls, Leo having been resting on her head.

"Alright, peeps." Red clapped, "First we'll catch a new teammate and then we'll train, cool?"

Ara and Auriga nodded, though Leo kept silent. The small team made their way towards Route Two.

Route Two on the Pewter City side was just as small as it had been on the Viridian City side. It was littered with trash and Pokémon corpses, though Red couldn't bring herself to care. Leo hopped from her head, going off by himself.

Red looked to Ara and Auriga, "What's his deal?" When Ara shrugged, Red offered that they split up, the two going to train and Red going to find Leo.

When she did find him, he was shocking a Pidgey into submission, "Whoa! Hey, buddy, the center's got food; you don't need to kill anything."

Leo turned, giving the Pidgey a chance to flee. "So?" He simply said, plopping down, "I needa get stronger."

"Well don't go killing anything when we don't need to." Red told him, sitting crossed legged in front of him, "What's wrong with you, you've been bummed since the other day. What? Did Brock put you in a bad mood?" She teased.

"No… he pissed me off, yeah, but that's not it…" Leo looked up to the sky.

"If it's about the incubator-thingy, then you won't have to worry, Nurse Joy said she wouldn't do it again."

"It's just…" Leo sighed, leaning back, "You weren't my first trainer…"

Red didn't speak, a sign that meant Leo should continue. "It was a guy, he looked almost like you, 'cept f' him bein' a guy and all…" Red seemed surprised to hear this, "An' 'e sorta dumped me off on th' route where y' found me after he'd become stronger… left me in th' Pokéball fer a long while… S'why I don't like it in there. Bein' in that dome scared me, thought I was gonna b' left b'hind again." Leo explained.

"Don't worry about it, man." Red smiled in an assuring way, "Wouldn't leave ya behind even if I had to. You're sorta stuck with me now."

"Same t' you, kid." Leo smirked as he and Red fist bumped.

"Red!" Ara called, running over to Red and Leo, "We found another team member!"

She seemed excited and Red smiled, "Well, who is it?"

"He calls himself 'Naos the Great' when in fact he's 'Naos the Lame'." Auriga crossed her stubby arms, "But Ara had a ball with her—don't ask how or why, I don't know— and he caught himself, now he can't get out of the ball."

Red chuckled, standing up, "Well let's meet this 'Naos the Great', then."

Ara led Red and Leo towards the Pokéball rocking back and forth with distant yelling coming from it. Red picked it up, tossing it in the air. A small Rattata sat on the grass, "Finally! Naos has been waiting for someone to let Naos out, Naos the Great does not like waiting on others."

Red only laughed, "This is what we caught?" She shook her head, "Alright, whatever, let's train."

Training proved to be easier, since Red knew she'd mostly rely on Auriga for the gym battle. Naos proved to be just like any other Rattata, just full of himself when he did things. Soon morning turned into afternoon and they took a break.

They returned to the Pokémon center for the free food. It wasn't full of trainers, but there were enough milling around.

"I feel like they're all looking at me…" Red mumbled to Leo.

"Tha's 'cause they _are_, doll." Leo sat up, "'Ey, chief, eyes on y' own paper." He glared down another trainer, "After we beat Brock, we'll get ya some new clothes."

After that, lunch was eaten quickly and quietly. Training resumed and night-time came quicker than Red thought.

She stripped down to her underwear as she thought about the past few weeks. Training seemed so much easier on TV. The characters got gym badges like she gained bruises—quick and often. "This is a lot different from what I had imagined—different from what my mom told me and Green."

Leo's ear twitched from his place on the windowsill, "Whaddya mean?" Ara climbed onto the bed and Auriga used String Shot to create a hammock above the bed. Naos curled himself up on the pillows.

"Well, she never mentioned that there would be all this pain and stuff…" Red gestured to her bandaged arm, "It seemed all fun when she described it."

"Well I guess you can say everyone's journey differs." Auriga offered, making herself comfortable, "Don't dwell on it, Red."

"Yeah, I guess." Red replied, climbing onto the bed. Leo hopped over to the bed, pushing Naos off of the pillow. "Leo…" Red warned. Leo only shrugged and Naos took his place on the windowsill as if that's where he wanted to be the whole time. "'Night everyone…"

* * *

**Pokémon: 4**

**Death: 0**

**Boxed: 0**

**Badges: 0**


	7. Chapter 6: Gym Battle

**Chapter Six: Vs. Brock (Brock Hard)**

* * *

As most mornings in Kanto, it was cold outside, but the sun, which was rising over the mountains not too far from the city promised to bring warmth when it had risen into the sky fully. For now, it was shooting pinkish streaks, called clouds, across the sky.

Red took a deep breath, stretching while trying not to knock Naos and Leo from their spots on her shoulder and head. Her arm was healed fully, thanks to the small advances of medical technology. Auriga floated by her, a steady flap of her wings keeping her in the air. Ara scratched at her dirty fur, wanting to rid herself of the small nervous itch she had.

"Alright, guys." Red walked away from the center, stopping on short of what she deemed was the path to the gym, "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you all. Even you Naos, though you've only been with us for a day."

"No need fer th' speech, doll." Leo told her, "S'not like we'll even be fightin'. Rii's got this gym."

Auriga nodded, "Y-Yup! I can handle this! We'll show Brock whose boss!"

Red smiled, "Okay, then let's go to the gym!"

Even with the directions from Nurse Joy and help from the townspeople, it took Red a little over an hour to find the gym. It was tucked away in a corner of the city, near the museum. Red stopped once they were in full view of it.

"What? Why'd you stop?" Leo asked, rolling over, his pendant slapping Red on the side of her face.

"Maybe she's nervous." Ara suggested, "I would be too, especially after what Brock said the other day."

"No, it's not that…" Red pulled on the sash around her uniform. "I don't think the gym's even open now."

"It's not." A boy said with a frown, "They said Brock doesn't open his gym until 10AM."

Red frowned, crossing her arms. "It's only eight now. Well what are we supposed to do now?"

"You could go to the museum." The boy offered, "They've got some hour long exhibit."

Red frowned, "Fine, let's go to the stupid museum."

* * *

Brock sat in the middle of his gym, absently watching his gym trainers battle each other. He was only allowed two, as his gym wouldn't be able to handle anymore. They were rather good, Brock would admit. His father taught them well.

Brock leaned back, his Onix slithering to his side, "Don't worry about that girl." They had all heard about Red, "She won't come."

Brock shrugged, "I'm not so sure…" He sat up when a beeping was heard, "Alright! Time to open the gym!"

Brock wouldn't let his small problem with a stupid girl take over his mind. He had a gym to defend; he couldn't be distracted by anything. Brock stood up when the lights were turned on fully, which wasn't much of a comparison.

The gym was still dim even with the lights, but it was an improvement to Brock and his trainers. "Alright, Dunstan, Alan." Brock looked between his Geodude and Onix, "Are you guys ready?"

With a nod from both, Brock returned them to their Pokéballs. He had a feeling something was going to happen today.

* * *

"Thank _fuck_ the gym's open!" Red yelled, approaching the gym with a sag in her posture. "I thought that exhibit would never end!"

"Straighten up, doll." Leo walked alongside her, "It'll look bad if ya don't."

Red stood up taller, though not by much and they stood in front of the gym. It looked mostly like a rock, the name of the gym being etched into its top left corner. Red frowned, it was an ugly gym, but she couldn't complain—it wasn't her gym anyway.

"Let's get this over with then…" Red moved forward, pushing on the door to the gym, it opened up easily, and she stood at the front, inside it looked more like a rock garden than an actual gym.

Two trains were standing on rocks and pushing around the sand with help of a few Sandshrew and Geodude. They didn't seem to notice Red as she stepped closer. She could hear noises coming from the back of the gym but couldn't see what exactly was going on.

"Hey!" She called, waving her hand, "Excuse me?"

The two trainers looked up, spotting Red. "Yeah? What is it?" One of them said.

"I wanna battle Brock." Red gestured to Leo.

"W-With an electric-type?" The other laughed, his friend joining in, "That's stupid!"

"Besides," The first one said, "We're not supposed to let you in anyway." He hopped from the rock and onto the pavement in front of Red, "So get."

Red pushed him, "Get yourself out my way. He owes me a battle and a badge when I kick his ass."

"Well you'll have to beat us first!" The first one said, calling a Sandshrew to his side, the other called a Diglett.

Red sighed, rolling her eyes, "If that's what you want… Rii!" She tossed Auriga's ball into the air, the flash lighting the gym slightly.

Auriga smirked, "We're at the gym already? Time to kick some ass, huh?"

As Auriga descended upon the two ground types, Red watched in amazement, "That was quite the personality change, huh?" She mumbled to Leo who had taken his place on top of her head.

Leo nodded, "Guess all she needed was a li'l coaxing or somethin'. Now she's a killer." Red watched Auriga's eyes glow purple as pink swirls engulfed the Diglett and Sandshrew. Within seconds of it disappearing, the two ground types were off into a frenzy.

Unintelligible noises were heard as they ran around the rock garden, messing up the sand and running into things. While the two trainers tried to calm the Pokémon, Red, Auriga and Leo continued towards the back of the gym.

Ara and Naos had released themselves from their balls, flanking Red as they walked. Another boy, who looked rather sullen, walked by, nursing a Pokéball in his hand. Brock hadn't been kind to his Pokémon. Red gulped, wondering if it was too late to turn back.

"So you've managed to get past my trainers, huh?" Brock's voice boomed. Red looked around, she didn't know where he was and that scared her. "Very well, I accept your challenge. I'm hoping you know the rules of a Pokémon League battle?"

Red looked around, the darkness not being on her side, but she nodded nonetheless, "I'm aware," She said, "So let's get this over with."

"Right of course. Go, Alan!" Brock called, his Geodude moving out onto the battlefield. Red cursed, she couldn't see a damn thing but Auriga didn't seem deterred, she instead flew out to what she assumed was the battlefield. This would be a blind battle for both of them.

"Don't worry, Red." She told her, "I don't need to see to use my attacks."

The ground shook, making Red lose her footing and fall, Leo dropping into her lap. Brock's Onix was moving around, if it was any indication from Red not being able to hear Auriga's words and Brock's commands clearly. The rumbling didn't deter Auriga; she was high in the air.

"Ara, double kick, to the left!" Red called quietly. Ara ran up, jumping and kicking the Onix. It groaned loudly in pain but did not stop moving. "Naos, Leo, stay close to me."

"What now?" Auriga's loud voice carried to Red. She was getting tired; she'd tackled what she assumed was the Geodude many times, when in fact, she hadn't even scratched him, instead hitting rocks.

"U-Use Confusion!" Red called, coughing at the rising level of dirt, "Sense him as best you can!"

Auriga nodded, knowing they couldn't see it and focused. She could see make out the Geodude's figure to her left, taunting her and preparing to launch itself for an attack. Auriga's eyes glowed purple once more, pink swirls wrapping around the Geodude and seeping into his body, making him go mad with confusion. He ran around, ramming himself against the Onix and rocks littering the field.

In all of the loud commotion, the two gym trainers entered, yelling and screaming about the Sandshrew and Diglett not listening to them. The gym was still shaking. Chaos was going on around Red and she didn't like it. She was being pelted with rocks and sand, getting bruised and hurt. _Aren't gym battles supposed to be easy? Aren't gym leaders supposed to be nice?_ So absorbed in her thoughts, Red didn't noticed the Onix tail swinging towards her in panic. But how could she? It was dark, the screaming of the trainers and Pokémon and the rumbling movements of the Onix dulled her senses.

"Trainer, look out!" Naos jumped, deflecting the attack and being hit into the light switch on the wall.

The bright floodlights hanging from the ceiling turned on, showering the battlefield with light. Everything came into full view and Red scanned the area. Auriga was flying high above the field, her eyes their normal red color while the Geodude and Onix laid unconscious, having dealt a final blow to each just before the lights turned on.

The gym trainers stopped screaming and Brock looked shocked. Naos lay in a pool of his own blood just below the bloody light switch. "Naos!" Red screeched, running over to him. She tripped, landing just before his body, "Naos… say something!"

"I-If I was stronger… maybe I could've…" He coughed, blood spattering Red's cheek.

"N-No… it was me! I'm a terrible trainer… I-I…"

"It was just a _Rattata_," Brock said, walking over, "You can replace him any day of the week." He threw the Boulder badge, the small metal piece hitting her on the head. Red didn't flinch.

"Leo." She sniffed, "Thunderbolt."

While Leo and the others took revenge on Brock, Red stood, cradling Naos in her arms, "Guys, that's enough, let's go."

Together, they left the gym.

* * *

"We barely knew you, Naos…" Leo said, "An' in th' short time we did, you were a pain in th' ass… but… you were _our_ pain in th' ass."

Red kneeled in front of Naos' grave. A small rock marked the place in the ground. "He died because of me…"

"You can't blame yourself, Red. How were we supposed to know what happened was going to happen?" Ara told her, "I'm sure Naos wouldn't blame you… How could he? You fed him, gave him a place to call home—at least for a little while."

Red stood, "Let's just go back to the Pokémon center…"

* * *

**Pokémon: 3**

**Death: 1**

**Boxed: 0**

**Badges: 1**

* * *

Well, that was the first battle and I already lost a pokemon. He didn't even get to reach his full potential. RIP: Naos. You'll always be in my top percentage.


End file.
